Adjustable dumbbell

ABSTRACT

A dumbbell may include a handle, a first weighted portion and a second weighted portion, wherein the first weighted portion has a first cap and a first receiving space to receive one or more weighted units therein, and the second weighted portion has a second cap and a second receiving space to receive one or more weighted units therein. In one embodiment, the handle has a first threaded portion and a second threaded portion located at two opposite ends of the handle, and the first threaded portion is configured to threadedly engage with a first cap to secure the weighted units in the first receiving space, while the second threaded portion is configured is configured to threadedly engage with the second cap to secure the weighted units in the second receiving space.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an exercise device, and more particularly to an adjustable dumbbell that the user can easily adjust the weight of the dumbbell while exercising.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Several appliances for home or indoor gymnastics have been developed. Among various exercising appliances, dumbbell is one of the most common and economic devices used in exercising the arms. Conventionally, a dumbbell has round weights joined by a short bar, by which it is lifted or swung about in the hand for muscular exercise. This structure of dumbbell has a fixed total weight once it is made. Therefore, different scale of dumbbell shall be used for different volume of training. Furthermore, when a dumbbell drops to the floor or ground, the floor of ground may be damaged by the round weights of the dumbbell easily.

There are also disclosed several adjustable dumbbells which can be adjusted to increase or reduce the total weight according to a user's physical condition. One of the adjustable dumbbells generally includes a short bar having a plurality of pin holes symmetrically disposed at two opposite ends for releasably fastening different pairs of round weights by lock pins. The common disadvantage of this adjustable dumbbell is that the round weights may oscillate during exercising, causing balancing problem. Another disadvantage of this adjustable dumbbell is that the pins may be broken easily causing the round weights to drop from the short bar, and therefore, exercising accident may happen easily. Further, increase the total weight of a dumbbell simultaneously increase the total size of the dumbbell to make exercising difficult.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,656,093 to Chen discloses a further typical dumbbell comprising a handle which can be grasped or held by the user, a number of weight plates to be attached onto the ends of the handle for exercising or training the arms or the feet of the user, and a latch attached onto the end of the handle and/or the weighted plates for selectively or adjustably mounting or securing the weighted plates on the ends of the handle.

However, the latch may not be easily or quickly assembled onto the handle or the weighted plates such that the typical adjustable dumbbell may not be easily or quickly assembled or manufactured. Therefore, there remains a need for a new and improved dumbbell to overcome the problems stated above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, a dumbbell may include a handle, a first weighted portion and a second weighted portion, wherein the first weighted portion 120 and the second weighted portion are located at two opposite ends of the handle. It is noted that the first and second weighted portions are identical and symmetrically disposed at the opposite ends of the handle. The detailed description of the weighted portion on one side can be applied to the other side.

In one embodiment, the first weighted portion has a first cover, a first receiving space in the first cover, and a first cap. In one embodiment, the first receiving space has a first center receiving hole and a plurality of cylindrical first receiving holes. The first weighted portion further includes a first holding unit and a plurality of weighted units. In a further embodiment, the first holding unit is configured to secure one end of each of the weighted units, and the other end of each of the weighted units can be received in each of the first receiving holes of the first receiving space. More specifically, the width “W” of the first cover can be slightly greater than the length “L” of each weighted unit, so the weighted units can be received in the first receiving space.

The weight units can be further secured in the first receiving space with the handle. More specifically, the first holding unit has a first through hole that is aligned with the first center receiving hole; and a first threaded end of the handle axially penetrates through the first through hole and the first center receiving hole, and can be threadedly secured with the first cap to simultaneously secure the first holding unit and the weight units inside the first receiving space.

Similarly, the second weighted portion has a second cover, a second receiving space in the second cover, and a second cap. In one embodiment, the second receiving space has a second center receiving hole and a plurality of cylindrical second receiving holes. The second weighted portion further includes a second holding unit and a plurality of weighted units. In a further embodiment, the second holding unit is configured to secure one end of each of the weighted units, and the other end of each of the weighted units can be received in each of the second receiving holes of the second receiving space. More specifically, the width “W” of the cover can be slightly greater than the length “L” of each weighted unit, so the weighted units can be received in the second receiving space.

The weight units can be further secured in the second receiving space with the handle. More specifically, the second holding unit has a second through hole that is aligned with the second center receiving hole; and a second threaded end of the handle axially penetrates through the second through hole and the second center receiving hole, and can be threadedly secured with the second cap to simultaneously secure the second holding unit and the weight units inside the second receiving space.

In one embodiment, each of the weighted units may have the same weight. In other embodiments, each of the weighted units may have different weights, and the dumbbell itself may have certain weight without the weight units. When in use, the user may have certain numbers of the weighted units on each side, and the cover is configured to house the weighted units with the first and second receiving space respectively. Furthermore, the first and second threaded portions can penetrate the through holes and center receiving holes on each side to threadedly engage with the first cap and second cap respectively to further secure the weighted units to prevent the weighted units from moving or falling out while the dumbbell is being used. It is noted that the weight on each side of the first and second weighted portions is usually the same to keep the balance of the dumbbell, however under some special training circumstances, the weight on each side might be different.

When the user wants to adjust the weight of the dumbbell, for example from the first weighted portion, the user can first unscrew the first cap from the first threaded portion, so the first holding unit and the weight units can be taken out from the first receiving space of the first cover, and the user can add or remove the weighted units on the first holding unit to adjust the weight of the first weighted portion, put the weighted units on the first holding unit back again to the first receiving space, and engage the first threaded portion with the first cap again to secure the weighted units in the first receiving space.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the adjustable dumbbell in the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the adjustable dumbbell in the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded view of the adjustable dumbbell in the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The detailed description set forth below is intended as a description of the presently exemplary device provided in accordance with aspects of the present invention and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present invention may be prepared or utilized. It is to be understood, rather, that the same or equivalent functions and components may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although any methods, devices and materials similar or equivalent to those described can be used in the practice or testing of the invention, the exemplary methods, devices and materials are now described.

All publications mentioned are incorporated by reference for the purpose of describing and disclosing, for example, the designs and methodologies that are described in the publications that might be used in connection with the presently described invention. The publications listed or discussed above, below and throughout the text are provided solely for their disclosure prior to the filing date of the present application. Nothing herein is to be construed as an admission that the inventors are not entitled to antedate such disclosure by virtue of prior invention.

As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of “a”, “an”, and “the” includes reference to the plural unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the terms “comprise or comprising”, “include or including”, “have or having”, “contain or containing” and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first element could be termed a second element, and, similarly, a second element could be termed a first element, without departing from the scope of the embodiments. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

In one aspect, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 , a dumbbell 100 may include a handle 110, a first weighted portion 120 and a second weighted portion 130, wherein the first weighted portion 120 and the second weighted portion 130 are located at two opposite ends of the handle 110. It is noted that the first and second weighted portions 120 and 130 are identical and symmetrically disposed at the opposite ends of the handle 110. The detailed description of the weighted portion on one side can be applied to the other side.

In one embodiment, the first weighted portion 120 has a first cover 121, a first receiving space 122 in the first cover 121, and a first cap 123. In one embodiment, the first receiving space 122 has a first center receiving hole 1221 and a plurality of cylindrical first receiving holes 1222. The first weighted portion 120 further includes a first holding unit 124 and a plurality of weighted units 125. In a further embodiment, the first holding unit 124 is configured to secure one end of each of the weighted units 125, and the other end of each of the weighted units 125 can be received in each of the first receiving holes 1222 of the first receiving space 122. More specifically, the width “W” of the first cover 121 can be slightly greater than the length “L” of each weighted unit 125, so the weighted units 125 can be received in the first receiving space 122.

The weight units 125 can be further secured in the first receiving space 122 with the handle 110. More specifically, the first holding unit 124 has a first through hole 1241 that is aligned with the first center receiving hole 1221; and a first threaded portion 111 of the handle 110 axially penetrates through the first through hole 1241 and the first center receiving hole 1221, and can be threadedly engaged with the first cap 123 to simultaneously secure the first holding unit 124 and the weight units 125 inside the first receiving space 122 as shown in FIG. 3 .

Similarly, the second weighted portion 130 has a second cover 131, a second receiving space 132 in the second cover 131, and a second cap 133. In one embodiment, the second receiving space 132 has a second center receiving hole 1321 and a plurality of cylindrical second receiving holes 1322. The second weighted portion 130 further includes a second holding unit 134 and a plurality of weighted units 135. In a further embodiment, the second holding unit 124 is configured to secure one end of each of the weighted units 135, and the other end of each of the weighted units 135 can be received in each of the second receiving holes 1322 of the second receiving space 132. More specifically, the width “W” of the second cover 131 can be slightly greater than the length “L” of each weighted unit 135, so the weighted units 135 can be received in the second receiving space 132.

The weight units 135 can be further secured in the second receiving space 132 with the handle 110. More specifically, the second holding unit 134 has a second through hole (not shown) that is aligned with the second center receiving hole 1321; and a second threaded portion 112 of the handle 110 axially penetrates through the second through hole and the second center receiving hole 1321, and can be threadedly engaged with the second cap 133 to simultaneously secure the second holding unit 134 and the weight units 135 inside the second receiving space 132 as shown in FIG. 3 .

In one embodiment, each of the weighted units 125/135 may have the same weight. In other embodiments, each of the weighted units 125/135 may have different weights, and the dumbbell 100 itself may have certain weight without the weight units. When in use, the user may have certain numbers of the weighted units 125/135 on each side, and the cover 121/131 is configured to house the weighted units 125/135 with the first and second receiving space 122 and 132 respectively. Furthermore, the first and second threaded portions (111, 112) can penetrate the through holes and center receiving holes on each side to threadedly engage with the first cap 123 and second cap 133 respectively to further secure the weighted units 125/135 to prevent the weighted units from moving or falling out while the dumbbell 100 is being used. It is noted that the weight on each side of the first and second weighted portions 110 and 120 is usually the same to keep the balance of the dumbbell 100, however under some special training circumstances, the weight on each side might be different.

When the user wants to adjust the weight of the dumbbell 100, for example from the first weighted portion 120, the user can first unscrew the first cap 123 from the first threaded portion 111, so the first holding unit 124 and the weight units 125 can be taken out from the first receiving space 122 of the first cover 121, and the user can add or remove the weighted units 125 on the first holding unit 124 to adjust the weight of the first weighted portion 120, put the weighted units 125 on the first holding unit 124 back again to the first receiving space 122, and engage the first threaded portion 111 with the first cap 123 again to secure the weighted units 125 in the first receiving space 122.

Having described the invention by the description and illustrations above, it should be understood that these are exemplary of the invention and are not to be considered as limiting. Accordingly, the invention is not to be considered as limited by the foregoing description, but includes any equivalent. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A dumbbell comprising a handle, a first weighted portion and a second weighted portion, and the first weighted portion and the second weighted portion are located at two opposite ends of the handle, wherein the first weighted portion has a first cover having a first receiving space, a first holding unit and a first cap, and the first receiving space has a first center receiving hole and a plurality of first receiving holes to receive one or more weighted units; wherein the second weighted portion has a second cover having a second receiving space, a second holding unit and a second cap, and the second receiving space has a second center receiving hole and a plurality of second receiving holes to receive one or more weighted units; and wherein the handle has a first threaded portion and a second threaded portion located at two opposite ends of the handle; said first threaded portion is configured to penetrate through the first center receiving hole to threadedly engaged with the first cap to secure the weighted units in the first receiving space, while the second threaded portion is configured to penetrate through the second center receiving hole to threadedly engaged with the second cap to secure the weighted units in the second receiving space.
 2. The dumbbell of claim 1, wherein the first holding unit is configured to secure one end of each of the weighted units, and the other end of each of the weighted units can be received in each of the first receiving holes of the first receiving space, while the second holding unit is configured to secure one end of each of the weighted units, and the other end of each of the weighted units can be received in each of the second receiving holes of the second receiving space.
 3. The dumbbell of claim 2, wherein the first holding unit has a first through hole that is aligned with the first center receiving hole; and a first threaded portion of the handle axially penetrates through the first through hole and the first center receiving hole, and can be threadedly engaged with the first cap to simultaneously secure the first holding unit and the weight units inside the first receiving space.
 4. The dumbbell of claim 2, wherein the second holding unit has a second through hole that is aligned with the second center receiving hole; and a second threaded portion of the handle axially penetrates through the second through hole and the second center receiving hole, and can be threadedly engaged with the second cap to simultaneously secure the second holding unit and the weight units inside the second receiving space.
 5. The dumbbell of claim 1, wherein each of the weighted units may have different weights, and the dumbbell itself may have certain weight without the weight units.
 6. The dumbbell of claim 1, wherein weighted units in either the first weighted portion or the second weighted portion can be added or removed according to a user's preference.
 7. The dumbbell of claim 1, wherein the first and second weighted portions can be symmetrically disposed at the opposite ends of the handle. 